Jack McCormick started turning plastic garbage bags into crosses as a way to stay busy and keep out of trouble.

"I was in jail, and it was just a survival thing," he said.

McCormick, 53, is originally from Delhi, La., and currently lives in transitional housing at Freedom House. He said he learned the art of spinning plastic in 2005 from another inmate. He had a knack for the art, and within a few short months, he was told he was better than the man who taught him.

To make the small crosses, McCormick takes a strip of plastic cut from a garbage bag and stretches and twists the material using a hook attached to the wall and a bottle of water to hold the plastic down while he spins it.

After a few minutes of spinning and stretching, McCormick has a length of plastic twine. Four such pieces are required to make one cross, which he creates in a variety of colors. McCormick is always on the lookout for new colors to use in his artwork.

"When I see colors, I grab them up," he said.

Once McCormick has the twine made, creating the crosses is done by tying a series of knots. He can do crosses in one or two colors, and also sometimes adds a small strip of color by cutting bits from chip bags he has collected for that purpose.

While McCormick sells the crosses for extra spending money, he finds the process of creating them so relaxing that he continues his work even when he has a job to pay the bills.

"It takes my time, and I don't get into stupid stuff," he explained.

When people see him making the crosses, they are often curious, McCormick said. Sometimes, they are interested in learning how to make their own, but McCormick said the process is more challenging than it seems.

Soon, McCormick's work may start appearing in local stores, said Ashley Andrews, community development coordinator with ARVAC, the parent organization of Freedom House. ARVAC staff is talking to the owner of local boutiques and gas stations, who will sell the crosses for $10-$15, depending on their complexity.

McCormick will receive part of the proceeds, and he will donate a portion of each sale to Freedom House.

Andrews said the ARVAC staff is proud of McCormick and want to encourage him to continue his art.